


Something You Can't Replace

by youmadeeverythingokay



Category: Schitt's Creek
Genre: Boys In Love, Fluff, If You Squint - Freeform, Light Angst, M/M, Patrick is bad at communication, until he isn't
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-17
Updated: 2020-12-17
Packaged: 2021-03-10 19:35:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,452
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28122462
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/youmadeeverythingokay/pseuds/youmadeeverythingokay
Summary: Patrick loses his phone and it puts him in a bad mood for the rest of the day, and David can't work out why.Patrick storms around until David finally convinces him to explain why he's so upset.It's soft, I promise.
Relationships: Patrick Brewer/David Rose
Comments: 22
Kudos: 236





	Something You Can't Replace

**Author's Note:**

> My first David and Patrick fic, this idea came to me out of the blue the other day about how Patrick would react to losing precious memories.  
> Not well, it turns out. 
> 
> Set somewhere between The Hike and Happy Ending I guess?
> 
> Comments and kudos are always appreciated <3
> 
> Enjoy!

David woke to the sound of Patrick crashing around the apartment, boxes being emptied, chairs and tables being moved all over the place. 

Patrick turned and seeing David was awake, proceeded to walk quickly over to the bed and start lifting pillows and looking in the cases, pulling the covers down away from David’s still sleep warm body, resulting in him yelping at the cold air hitting him. 

“What do you think you are doing?! If this is a sex thing, waking me at -” he glanced at his phone “8am! Is not the way to go about it, thank you so much.” 

“It’s not a sex thing, David, I can’t find my phone.” 

“Well alright, it will be around here somewhere.” 

“Gee thanks David, that’s so helpful, why don’t I have a look around, like I have been for the past half hour!” 

“Wow, okay, someone’s woken up on the wrong side of the bed this morning. Although at least you got to wake up on your own terms.” He grumbled quietly. 

Patrick sighed. “You’re right, I'm sorry. I didn’t mean to wake you. It’s just... I never lose things; I think the last time I lost something was when I lost my lucky pitchers' glove in my junior baseball league just before the championship. We lost, and although I know now that they’re not related, I was just always so much more careful with things. And this is more important it’s just... I don’t remember having it when we came home last night either, I can’t remember when I last had it.” 

“Okay, superstitious childhood stories aside, it doesn’t matter, we can just buy you a new one. It’s not as if it was particularly high tech as far as phones go.” He turned his head further into the pillow, trying to hold onto any last crumbs of sleep that he might be able to salvage. 

“It’s not that though it’s just... there’s things on it that I wouldn’t be able to get back.” 

David lifted his head and properly looked at his fiancé for the first time that morning, and really noticed how stressed and worried he looked. He knows that Patrick likes to be in control of anything, and while it really is out of character for him to be this careless, it doesn’t explain why he would be this off kilter by losing something. 

“What’s wrong, honey? What could possibly be on that phone that would be lost? I’m pretty sure I have copies of all the photos on there, and I know you better than to think you would have any important documents or store related things on the phone without a backup elsewhere.” 

Patrick looked at him for a second, and then smiled sadly, looking back down at the ground. 

“Yeah, you’re probably right. Look, go back to bed for a bit, I'm going to head to the store early, see if I've left it somewhere there.” 

“You’re not going to come and join me?” David tried with a sleepy but flirty smile. “Since we’re up anyway, I promise I'll make it worth your while.” 

“No, it’s fine. I’ll head now and start getting things ready for the day. You get another hour’s sleep and come along when you’re ready." 

Patrick bent down and gave David a quick kiss on the forehead before grabbing his jacket and keys and heading out the door. David watched him go with slight bewilderment, it wasn’t like Patrick to turn down some early morning activities. There was definitely something David was missing, and he’ll make sure he finds out what it is. 

After another hour’s sleep. 

*******

When David got to the store at half 10, he could immediately tell that Patrick’s mood had not improved, which probably means that the missing phone has not yet turned up. 

He hadn’t had time to go to the café on the way here either and suddenly regrets that, wishing he could at least have something of a peace offering to give to his stressed partner. 

“Oh hi David, finally decided to show up did you?” 

It wasn’t too far away from the teasing words Patrick throws at him every day, but his tone was much tighter than usual, with a bit more annoyance than David was comfortable with. So he walked straight to the back room to put his bag down without retaliating, suddenly dreading the rest of the day. 

For the rest of the morning, Patrick seemed to fall into an even darker mood, barely speaking to David except to snap about things that were going wrong, there being too many customers, or not enough customers. The floor being too dirty, even though it was now raining outside and keeping on top of the dirt that customers were traipsing in was a full job in itself. 

David was starting to worry, and started to think through everything that had happened in the last 12 hours. Had he done something to upset Patrick? Or was there something on that phone that he didn’t want David to know about, and was worried he would find it first?   
No. He knows Patrick, he knows he wouldn’t be doing anything that could hurt him, or hiding anything. They’d got past that now. But he still couldn’t quite place why he was so affected by this today. 

Just before 12 o'clock, Patrick was on the phone to one of the vendors, clearly struggling to secure a renewal of the contact. 

“Yes, I understand that but... well with all due respect, the turnover of your products has been difficult to maintain, it’s not exactly the most sought-after product, but we have worked hard to advertise it and... No, I’m not saying no one is interested, just that... Right. But... Oh for f –” 

David quickly grabbed the phone from Patrick’s hand. “Hi, Ms Parsons, it’s David Rose here. Yes, very well thank you. Please excuse my partner he’s having a bit of a day. Yes, of course, and we really value your partnership.” David watched as Patrick threw his hands in the air and stormed through to the back office. “No, not at all, and I completely understand wanting to explore your options but our customer base is very loyal and I really do believe this would be your best shot to broadcast any new products that you might be thinking of selling.” More crashing noises came from the back room. “Well, I am very glad to hear that, we will get the contracts out to you by the end of the week. Thank you so much, speak to you soon.” 

He took a deep breath, and walked up to the front door, locking it and turning the sign to closed before following Patrick into the back room. 

“Care to explain what the hell that was all about?” He demanded. 

“She was being so difficult! I knew she was going to sign the contact but she was clearly trying to get a better deal than what we have, even though it’s currently working for both of us!” 

“And that’s a good enough reason to snap at one of our vendors, and risk losing the whole thing? That really isn’t like you.” 

“Why not? Why do I always have to be the calm and rational one, huh? Don’t I get to have bad days, David, or is it only you that gets to be emotional and irrational, heaven forbid I’m irresponsible for two god damn seconds!” 

“Enough!” 

His sharp tone caused Patrick to take a step back, shock crossing all his features. 

“What is going on with you today? Is this still about your stupid phone? Who cares, we’ll just get you a new one, I told you.” 

He just scoffed, eyes raising to the ceiling with a shake of his head.  
“You don’t get it, David. Just leave it.” He tried to push past David and go back to the floor, but David grabs his arm and pulls him back. 

“No, stay here and tell me what is going on. You told me you were going to work on communicating with me, and I'm not really seeing any proof of that right now!” 

He knows it’s probably a low blow, but he really needs to know what is going on in that man’s head so he can start trying to fix it and salvage what is left of the day. 

Patrick looked up at him with his eyes filling with sadness before he collapsed down into the sofa that they had put in the back room, head falling into his hands. David heard him mumble something into his palms, but couldn’t quite work it out. 

“What?” 

Patrick sighed and lifted his head out of his hands, but kept his gaze down at the floor. 

“The voicemails. The ones you left for me after we first met. They were on that phone and I haven’t got round to backing them up anywhere yet. If I've lost that phone, I've lost them for good.” 

David was shocked. Out of everything that he thought would possibly be the explanation, that one had never even crossed his mind. 

“You... you kept those voicemails?” 

Patrick’s head shot up, his face etched in shock and confusion. 

“David, of course I did.” He sighed and gestured to the sofa beside him, prompting David to sit down next to him and take his hand in his own. “I’m sorry I've been so unbearable today. But David...” He sighed again, as much as he had got better at communicating, sometimes it took time for him to get out what he needs to say, so David stayed quiet and gave him the time he needed. 

“David, I knew. Straight away. I don’t think I really knew what I knew but...” he grimaced at the nonsensical explanation. “I knew you were special, David. And I think, even in that moment, although I could never have worked it out that soon, I think even then I loved you. So quickly and all at once. I listened to those voicemails so many times back then, trying to work out what it was that I felt for you. I think at first, I was just intrigued by you, but the more time went on the more I realised it was more than that. 

I would go on those hikes, and when I got to the top, I would play them again and try and work out what was going on in my head, and my heart. 

Those voicemails are the first step in the journey of me truly finding myself, and finding love in a way I never knew existed. In a way I never thought I would get to have. To have lost that I... It just hurts, you know?” 

David was at a loss for words, with his eyes threatening to spill over with unshed tears. 

“I think-” He cleared his throat, his voice cracking without his permission. “I think that’s a perfectly justifiable reason for you to be upset today. Although I don’t love that you still have voicemails of me high, spouting nonsensical drivel at you.” 

“You were high?!” 

“Surely I told you that by now.” 

“I think I would remember if you told me that the first indication that I made you half as flustered as you made me was under the influence, David.” There was that teasing smile that David had been missing all day, and he couldn’t ignore the warmth in his heart that it ignited. 

He leaned over and pressed a soft kiss against Patrick’s lips, sighing contentedly as he felt his hands cup the back of his head, thumb gently stroking his cheek. The kiss deepened slightly, although with no sense of urgency, just both enjoying the closeness after a tense morning. 

Patrick pulled back but left his forehead resting against David’s own.   
“I really am sorry though. I never meant to take it out on you.” 

“Or Ms Parsons.” 

“Or Ms Parsons.” he laughed. 

“You’re forgiven. Thank you for telling me. I’ve closed the shop for lunch, let’s go over to the café and have something to eat, wind down. And then maybe head home early, to relax after the stressful day you have had?” He wiggled his shoulders seductively. 

Patrick scrunched his eyes teasingly. “We’ll go for some lunch and then come back and finish the rest of the day. Maybe even an extra half hour to make up for the time you missed this morning.” 

David floundered for words as they both stood up and Patrick playfully smacked him on the ass on the way by. 

They walked across to the café hand in hand, smilingly softly at each other, although a hint of sadness still remained in Patrick’s eyes. As they walked up to the counter, Twyla spotted them and smiled widely with that open, carefree smile of hers. 

“Oh, Patrick! I was hoping I would see you today. I think you left something in here when you were in last night.” 

She reached under the counter and pulled out Patrick’s phone, sliding it across the counter to him. 

“I knew that it was yours because I’ve recognised it before. It’s the same phone my uncle has. Well, had. He used it when he was in prison because it was small enough to hide discreetly wherever he needed to. His was always wrapped in plastic when we went to visit him though.” 

Patrick and David shared a glance, as they always do at Twyla’s shocking yet always surprisingly upbeat stories. It only took a second for Patrick’s face to light up as he picked the phone up off the counter, unlocking the screen and looking at a picture of David in his baseball costume that he had set as his lockscreen, despite all of David’s protests. 

“Twyla, thank you so much. You have no idea how... thank you. Really.” 

“No problem.” She smiled. “You wanna grab a booth and I'll be over in a minute to take your order?” 

As David and Patrick took their seats, Patrick was just staring down at the phone in his hand, biting his lip and bouncing his leg in a way that David now knows as a way of trying to contain his emotions. 

“Hey.” he said softly, reaching across to take his other hand. “You got it back. But even if you lose it again, we have a lifetime of other memories to make. And we’ll make sure we back them all up, okay?” 

Patrick breathed out a shaky laugh. 

“Thank you, David." He cleared his throat. "So what do you fancy for lunch then?” 

David tilted his head in contemplation. 

“Mozzarella sticks?” 


End file.
